Quality Manager - Food Manufacturing
Location: Northampton
Salary: £42,000 per annum
Hours: Mon - Fri 7am -5pm / 6am - 4pm
Sector: Chilled Food
A fast-growing, family-run food manufacturer is seeking a proactive Quality Manager to join its on-site technical team. This is a key factory-based role for someone who wants to drive meaningful, daily improvement within a fast‑paced chilled environment. You'll help lead the site toward audit‑ready excellence, ensuring all products remain safe, legal, authentic, and consistently high in quality.
The Role
Working as part of a small, supportive technical team, you'll provide hands‑on quality leadership within a busy production site. You will be a central figure in maintaining and elevating standards, supporting major third‑party audits, and shaping a strong food safety and quality culture throughout the factory.
Key Responsibilities
* Support delivery of successful third‑party audits (e.g., BRCGS, Red Tractor, Organic, BMPA).
* Ensure the Quality Management System is fully embedded within factory operations.
* Drive continuous improvement across hygiene, GMP, fabrication, housekeeping, and finished product quality.
* Lead complaint and non‑conformance investigations, identifying root causes and driving reductions against KPIs.
* Update and improve procedures in line with legislation, customer expectations, and certification requirements.
* Conduct internal audits, close out actions, and maintain audit‑ready status.
* Lead factory tours and customer/third‑party audit visits.
* Maintain Quality Attribute Sheets to underpin product consistency.
* Develop and implement factory Quality Action Plans and quality‑focused CI initiatives.
* Support supplier performance through raw material monitoring and non‑conformance management.
* Contribute to the development of QACCP and verify quality controls across all areas.
* Coach, develop, and support QA/QC personnel to strengthen capability.
* Provide factory‑based training on quality and food safety best practice.
* Deputise for the Site Technical Manager when required.
About You
* Experienced in managing quality within a food manufacturing environment (high‑risk chilled experience advantageous).
* Confident working in a fast‑moving factory setting with the ability to influence behaviours.
* Familiar with supplying into retail and foodservice customers.
* Experienced in major certification audits and maintaining standards such as BRCGS.
* Analytical, organised, and committed to continuous improvement.
* Ambitious and on a professional development path toward a future Technical Manager role.
* Reliable, proactive, and able to build strong cross‑functional relationships.
What's on Offer
* Strong exposure to audits, standards, and customer/supplier engagement from the outset.
* Opportunities to contribute to site‑wide improvement initiatives within a supportive, family‑driven culture.
* The chance to make a visible impact daily and influence long‑term technical standards.
If you'd like to shape quality within a growing manufacturing site and thrive in a hands‑on, improvement‑focused environment, this is an excellent opportunity to take the next step in your technical career.
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